When I look in the mirror
by Agent-G
Summary: See what goes through the minds of everyone early in the morning. Based in the AGU takes place between Enter Mayhem & Enter Daytripper
1. Vincent

DISCALIMER: I do not own X-Men: Evolution or anyone/anything else associated with it. However Vincent is my own character.

This takes place after Enter Mayhem and before Enter DayTripper, and is just a look at the thoughts some of them have in before the day begins.

WARNING

CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR 'ENTER MAYHEM'. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT FIRST DON'T READ THIS OR IT WILL SPOIL IT FOR YOU AND YOU NEED TO READ IT TO GET SOME OF WHATS GOING ON

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR

VINCENT

Vincent looks in the mirror at himself. He looks into his eyes and can see how harder they are from everyone else. There is no innocence there that was taken from me a long time ago.

I had it again last night, one of my nightmares. I splash water onto my face, and dry it off. It was just after six in the mourning, a normal person wouldn't be up at a time like this, but than again I'm far from normal.

I only need six of seven hours of sleep normally because of my mutation, so I like to get an early jump on things, not to mention it annoys the hell out of most of the students, who are not morning people.

I look there in the mirror again and I still think about how my life has changed. Not to long ago I was living in Toronto living a normal life, my mutation wasn't public and I had a job, two of my best friends by my side. Then it all came crashing down.

I left, and came here. At first I wasn't too sure I made the right choice but I made more friends here than I had back home, I don't have to hide myself from these people like I had to anymore, I can truly be myself and not worry about exposing my secret and for the first time I feel better about myself.

And I also met her. Rogue.

At first we were just friends and hung out a lot, then it became more then that and I don't regret it. She knows me better than anyone else does, she knows what I've gone through, my pain, my hope, my shame, ever since she absorbed me.

Why she still wants to be with someone like me I don't know. Even after she got all of my memories and saw the real me, and my dark past she still wants to be with me. I'm glad she does.

For the first time in a long time I feel lucky about some of my life.

We might not be able to touch but I love being with that girl. She's so strong and yet so fragile on the inside and at times just seeing her makes me feel better. She's been there for me and I'll be there for her.

I wouldn't have done so well after April's death if it hadn't been for her. April, another name this one that I gave to a girl I couldn't save.

I still blame myself on some level and I think I always will for her death. I couldn't save her...I tried...but I failed, and now she's dead because of it.

I learned much about my past here, about her and about Sinister...I swear I will make that monster pay one day for all the things he's done. I have never hated anyone more passionately than him. He's caused so much pain to not only me but to others, and that I can never forgive.

I think I've grown while here, I've learned more here than just my mutation.

Well I guess I'll go and help Ororo in the kitchen now for breakfast, before the rest of them wake up.


	2. Rogue

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR

ROGUE

Rogue has just finished taking a shower and is at the sink, she wipes off the fog on the glass and looks into the mirror at her reflection.

I stand there looking at myself. I have no makeup on yet, and slowly finish wiping my face off. I take my hand and slowing feel my own face. If anyone saw me doing this they'd think I was strange.

Well since I can never touch, this is all I have. This is the only way I can still feel anything with my own skin. It's amazing what you take for granted before you lose it.

Ever since that day my powers came I knew I would never feel another person again, it was like I'm being punished for something.

I close my eyes and run my hand against my face, I relish the feeling. I imagine it's someone else's hand, that it's his hand.

I don't know why he likes me. No wait I do, I still have a ghost of his mind in my head like all the others I've absorbed, but I still don't get it on some level, why someone would want a girl they could never touch, to hold not without some kind of protection.

He makes me feel better about myself, he makes me happy and he isn't afraid of me. He isn't afraid of a lot of things, including my powers.

I'm glad that I'm here and that I met not only Vincent but the others too. I have true friends here, even if at times they can be annoying, especially some of the newer ones. But I was alone for most of my life, had no real friends, I usually just hung out by myself and never got close to anyone because I was warned all my life not to get close.

Sure when my mutation happened I was scared, confused. But I'm glad I eventually ended up here.

Xavier has helped me especially when all those other personalities started to overtake me. That was the most frightening experience of my life. I still got nightmares where I turn into someone else and I'm no longer me. It's my worse fear that one day it would happen again, and that I will lose herself, permanently.

She opened her eyes and looked at herself. She signed. Her life wasn't easy, hell no one's here was to be fair, but she just wished she didn't have to be afraid all the time. No one new that she was. She was always afraid she would hurt someone with her powers, or her powers would consumer her.

She finished drying off and went to change. I think I'll go and see Vincent, he always had a way to make me feel better, but she doubted if even he knew how much she needed him at times, and that she wished for just once that she could touch him.


	3. Logan

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
LOGAN  
  
Logan looked in the mirror he was thinking if he should bother to shave today or not.  
  
Forget it, I'll do it tomorrow. Then he stopped and looked at himself, really looked at himself. He could see the wildness in the back of his eyes, and how hard they were.  
  
Who the Hell are you?  
  
He asked himself, he asked that almost every day at some point, having no memory causes you to constantly question yourself.  
  
What was I before? Did I have a family? A good life? Was I ever happy at some point?  
  
The only memories he had were mostly of war, the second war and a few hazing other things. A place in Japan, a woman's face, a little red headed girl, and then I think of her as a woman.  
  
I see the untamed lands most likely of Canada. I see Wolves and a few places here and there, nothing good. I have no idea if Logan is my real name, I can't even guess at how old I am. If I looked like this during the 1940's then I'm even older than Chuck.  
  
Now look at me. I'm living here with a bunch of kids.  
  
Sometimes when I think about it almost makes me laugh. Almost.  
  
These kids are nuts at times, not to mention all the hormones that get sent around here are not exactly pleasant. I wonder if Chuck knows that's one of the reasons I take off every now and then.  
  
Well that and I need some peace and quiet too.  
  
But I do like these kids, some of them have nowhere else to go, and I know what could happen to them out there.  
  
Logan unsheathed his claws. Yeah I know all to well.  
  
This world's a dangerous place for them, I'm just the guy to whip them into shape and keep them out of trouble.  
  
In fact I think I'll make a special training session for these kids today.  
  
Logan left the room with a predatory grin on his face. 


	4. Scott

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
SCOTT  
  
There was nothing but darkness. Scott was washing his face off, his eyes shut tight. When he reached for his shades he knocked them down onto the floor.  
  
Damn it not again. I hate it when I do that.  
  
He bent down blindly searching for them, he really didn't want to yell out for help. Then he found them.  
  
He stood up and put them on, then looking into the mirror the darkness was now varying shades of red.  
  
I hate this.  
  
I have to spend my entire life in one color. Either with these things on, or even when I take them off and look, it's still red not to mention deadly.  
  
And the worse thing?  
  
I think I'm forgetting what the world looks like. The colors seemed to fade from my memory as the years go on. One day I'm scared I'll think back to the color of the sky and all I'll remember is red.  
  
If anything I wish I could see again. If there was one thing I wish I could see again just one, it would be her.  
  
Jean.  
  
I've only seen her twice. Once when Magneto 'enhanced' me and Alex, then when that Leech kid took all our powers for a few seconds. When I realized what he did Jean was the first thing I looked at.  
  
She looked so beautiful to me.  
  
I've tried to burn that into my mind, to remember how see really looks to everyone else as hard as I can. I never want to lose that memory.  
  
And if that's not enough then I have the responsibility of leadership. Not only have I got to set an example for the others, but I have to be the responsible one.  
  
I see them all having fun and I have to sit back and watch and make sure they don't overdue it, get hurt or whatever. They all think I'm just no fun but do they really understand that I'm that way because someone HAS to be.  
  
At first I didn't like it, but I've grown to it. At least now I have Jean by my side and makes it bearable.  
  
Sometimes I still wish I could just let lose but I can't. At least not all the time only a few times.  
  
I failed once already and April died. Vincent blames himself and I understand completely. I won't fail them again, I won't let one of them die again.  
  
If it means being strict and 'Mr. Military' as they've called me, then it's a price I'll pay for it. These are my friends and they're as close to me as my brother Alex.  
  
They might see me as their leader and not the fun guy to be around, but they're my family and I will protect them. 


	5. Jean

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
JEAN  
  
Jean was brushing her hair in her vanity mirror, but then stopped. She placed a hand to her temple. She had a small stab of pain but then it was gone.  
  
She hated it when that happened. Every time it did she was afraid her powers were going to go out of control again.  
  
It was her worse fear, that she would lose it again and might hurt the others. She only told Xavier and Scott of this fear. Then looked at the picture she had placed on the mirror.  
  
It was of her and Scott.  
  
She was so glade that they were together as a couple, he knew her better than anyone, and they had been friends for years first, which was most likely why they worked so well.  
  
He couldn't believe she didn't see it before, and how she went out with Duncan of all people, God what was she thinking. And I'm a FREAKING telepath for crying out loud how the HELL didn't I see he was such a slime ball.  
  
I guess I didn't want to see it. I didn't want to get rid of the illusion I had created of him being the perfect boyfriend when he was the complete opposite.  
  
I was trying so hard to fit in, to be popular and having all these friends, I guess I lost my head. And in doing so I even shunned my real friends.  
  
I can't believe I was such a...such a bitch at times in high school, sometimes I wonder how Scott could stand me sometimes, and it must have killed him that I was going out with someone else.  
  
I didn't mean to hurt him, I wish I could take it away but I can't. Now at least I have the chance to make up.  
  
When we were outed as mutants I thought my friends in high school would still be there for me.  
  
They weren't.  
  
Most likely because they weren't my friends to begin with, they just wanted to fit in like me so they hung around the popular kids. It was then I found out who my REAL friends were.  
  
After the way I treated them I didn't deserve a chance, but they did. There are times when I would go back and send some sense into my younger self.  
  
But I guess I did learn something from it all. Real friends are always there for you, and real love isn't dating someone who just popular, it's someone you truly care about and feel connected to. 


	6. Kurt

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
KURT  
  
Kurt had gotten out of the shower and had FINALLY finished drying himself, because of all the fur it always took longer than it normally would someone else.  
  
He was finishing drying off his face and was smoothing the fur down, it was either that or have it all fuzzy looking, and if bad hair from bead head was bad think how a face covered in fur could be like.  
  
He stared for a second into those yellow eyes of his.  
  
He hated how he looked, he was even a little ashamed of it.  
  
Everyone looked so normal, yet whenever he looked into any mirror it always would remind him that he would never be normal, that people would always see the 'freak' first and not the person.  
  
He remembered when he was little and his parents first explained why he was so different from the others, why the other children always ran away frightened of him. He had cried himself to sleep that night.  
  
Sometimes he still did.  
  
He didn't blame them they were just scared. There were times when he would prayed to God to make him normal, and had dreamed of it so much that it hurt.  
  
Then he got sent to Xavier's and got the watch that allowed him to looked normal for the first time in his life. That was one of the happiest days in his life, for the first time he went out side without any fear and enjoyed every minute of it.  
  
He remembered how at night he thanked God for answering his prayers he remembered he fell asleep that night with tears of joy instead of sadness.  
  
But it was all an illusion, fake. This was the real him and that would never change, he thought as he looked back into the mirror.  
  
He remembered how Kitty had treated him, how she was so scared of him. He had a crush on her at the time, he had gotten over it and now she was her best friend and wouldn't change that for the world.  
  
But it still hurt.  
  
Then there was Amanda. The thought of her made him smile.  
  
She saw though all the blue fur, the yellow eyes, the fangs and the tail and saw the real him inside.  
  
She cared for him not because of his looks (although she had stated that she found him cuter out of the hologram) but for his soul.  
  
He was so happy to have a girl like her in his life, he never thought he would find someone who would care for her like she did. And he felt the same, she was so caring and kind, and beautiful.  
  
He was at his happiest when she was around.  
  
His life my never be normal, HE may never be normal, but maybe normal is overrated.  
  
Being here at the Institute was the greatest thing that had happened to him, and he was so glad to be here. 


	7. Xavier

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Xavier  
  
Charles Xavier had finally finished dressing himself and had placed himself on his wheelchair. It was always slightly difficult to get ready in the morning, but it was a lot easier than when he first lost his legs.  
  
He placed his legs onto the stands where they always were. There wasn't a day that went by when he wished he could just regain the use of his legs, even if it was just for an hour. He would spend it all bare foot, he'd swim, walk and best of all run.  
  
He missed it all but then that was life.  
  
He put on his favorite jacket, the light brown one he always wore. He rolled himself to the mirror to make sure it was on straight. His mother had always taught him to be proper.  
  
He missed her sometimes. He was young when she had gotten sick and he watched as she slowly withered away. That was the worst time of his life, even the loss of his legs did not hurt as that did.  
  
The fact that his step father saw him only as a burden for marrying his mother did not help, or that fact that his step brother Cain hated him, because his own father had seem to have treated Charles better, but that was not the truth.  
  
When his step father had sent Cain away because he was picking on Charles, all the physical abuse that man had normally would have unleashed on Cain would have been taken out on Charles.  
  
He looked back into the mirror shaking out the memory.  
  
He had come a long way. And he had turned his home into a true home where children and even adults could come and feel safe. When he had changed this place into a home for people for mutants like himself, this place truly felt like home again.  
  
It had been so long since it felt that way since his mother's remarriage and her death.  
  
Now he also had to look out for these people. They were like family to him, and he would do his best to give them the home and life they deserve.  
  
He also felt regret, at the loss of one of them. April was the first real failure he had and he felt he would never fully get over it, just as he was sure everyone else wouldn't.  
  
Then there was the visions of the future from Apocalypse.  
  
There was the site of Jean one of his first and dearest students being consumed by some kind of power. He didn't want to lose another, he had hoped that the future could be rewritten that there was time to change it.  
  
He did not want to lose anyone else in his life, and he didn't want any of the children to suffer through that kind of pain again.  
  
As he looked into the mirror one last time, he vowed to do his best for them.  
  
Someone needed to, because in this world people like them had it hard enough as it is. 


	8. Kitty

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Kitty  
  
Kitty was finishing putting her hair into a ponytail in the mirror. She looked at herself and realized just how different she was from a year ago.  
  
That Kitty was shy, and afraid of a lot of things. She remembered how she was so physically weak he was failing gym and those two girls Amy and Riley from her old school making her life miserable everyday.  
  
Then when her mutation kicked in, she freaked. She was so scared. She also remembered how she was so unsure of herself and how she was frightened of Kurt.  
  
She would always be ashamed of how she treated him, at first she was so scared of him, now he was her best friend.  
  
There was also her relationship with Lance. At first she was attracted to the whole bad boy thing, and the fact that he was a mutant too. But that didn't end well.  
  
Then she saw the good side of him, like when those trains were going to crash he was the only one of the Brotherhood who helped. And also at the battle against Magneto when he was under the control of Apocalypse, he showed it there as well.  
  
She couldn't understand why their relationship keep going up and down, sometimes she didn't know if it would last, and she used to never think about a long term relationship before.  
  
Yes she had come a long way in such a short time for her.  
  
She was living in a mansion, had a whole bunch of new and great friends, two of them both a fuzzy elf and her sister a Goth (someone she would never have socialized with before) were her closest friends.  
  
She was more athletic too. Hell she did stuff in the danger room alone that anyone else in her gym classes would be scared to death about doing. She also wasn't so timid and shy and had grown up a lot here, for the better.  
  
Sure now that mutants were common knowledge she was hated and feared by complete strangers for no reason, and it hurt. But she had her friends by her side and was glade to be here.  
  
She liked who she turned out to be, she was way better for it. She wanted to be normal at the beginning, but she realized normal wasn't as fun and a lot more boring too.  
  
She turned to around and saw Lockheed still curled up into a ball sleeping away. She smiled down at him.  
  
And if she were normal she thought. I never would have such a cute little dragon for a pet also. 


	9. Ororo

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Ororo  
  
Ororo was combing her hair in the mirror. She looked at herself in the mirror suddenly amazed at the woman she had become.  
  
It seemed like a complete change from her old life. She remembered how she and her sister had lost their parents. How when her home had been destroyed in a war and then had been buried alive with her parents as her home fell on top of them.  
  
To this day she hated small spaces, they terrified her to no end.  
  
Somehow she got her sister out, but their parents had died. Her sister never really talked about it and she didn't blame her for it. They had to take care of themselves after that. It wasn't easy, and she had to learn to steal and had to live on the streets.  
  
They had to travel a lot keeping on the move. They traveled for a years until they came upon a tribe that took them in. Then her powers had manifested. In a dessert land where she could fly on the winds and call forth the rain she was considered a goddess.  
  
That is until Xavier came to her. He had told her the truth and had offered her his help. She had to think it over but in the end she went with him taking her sister along. Even though she wasn't a mutant she didn't want to leave her alone.  
  
They were both amazed at the things in America. She remembered when Amara had first came to the Institute. She had reminded her of herself and her sister so much. She had spent a lot of that time teaching the young woman from Nova Roma the things that she had never seen before.  
  
Her life was a lot better now that she lived here. She remembered how her sister had gotten married and how she had become an aunt.  
  
Then her thoughts turned to Evan and Ororo felt a great deal of sadness and disappointment. Not only in Evan but also in herself.  
  
Evan was always hot headed and stubborn. She had tried her best to make him more responsible and to mold him into a better man. For a little while she had hoped she was doing just that.  
  
Then his powers went out of control, and he left. Just like that, without a real goodbye or anything. She had to tell her own sister what had happened. Vivian had been outraged and hadn't spoken to her for a month.  
  
She had felt awful the entire time. She felt as though she had failed both Evan and Vivian. She felt better after her sister had finally forgiven her, but she was still worried about Evan.  
  
She heard that he never called his parents or made any contact with them. How could the boy do that do his own parents like that, it wasn't right. It was one of the main reasons she was still angry with the lad, she thought he had known better.  
  
Also was the fact that after everything they had been through he hadn't even given the Professor or her a chance to help him. He just left with no explanation and had seemed to cut them out of his life like everyone else.  
  
She sighed deeply.  
  
She wished she could have helped him more, wished she could have done more. But she couldn't, but there were still the others. They still needed her, and she would be there for them.  
  
She wouldn't fail them like she did with Evan. She wouldn't make the same mistakes she had. She also hoped that he was okay were he was, and that one day he would come back to them and his parents. 


	10. Hank

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Hank  
  
Hank was brushing his fur down in the mirror with a hairbrush. He looked at his reflection and sighed.  
  
It wasn't fair.  
  
He had everything, a career he loved, students that he had enjoyed teaching. He had liked his life. Then the beast within him finally broke free, and his life was never the same.  
  
He remembered how all his life even though he was smart was also vary athletic. He remembered being one of the stars of the football team in high school and in collage. He remembered how he seemed so naturally strong. He never suspected that it was a prelude to something else.  
  
He never dreamed of the pain. It came in his senior year in collage. He had terrible pain at times, that would engulf his whole body. When he went to the doctors they told him nothing was wrong.  
  
But it came again, each time worse than before. That was the day he meet Charles. He was a just young professor then, only had his degree in mutation and genetics for a few years.  
  
Yet he seemed to know what was going on. He confronted Hank about his theory that he was in fact a mutant, and was changing.  
  
He had laughed at it, until he heard the Professor speak in his head. That had shut him up. Together after hours they would do research on him. He had to quiet the team, because it took up too much time.  
  
The team didn't like it but to Hell with them, this was his life.  
  
It took months, but they had found it. The X-gene. The cause for it all, and what's worse Hanks mutation was increasing.  
  
One day he woke up with hair all over his arms and his fingernails were longer. He thought he was changing into a monster. He had never been more scared.  
  
Luckily he had perfected something that although wouldn't get rid of the X- gene, would suppress it in him. He took it without a second thought.  
  
Xavier was disappointed that he would just hide what he was, but he did understand his feelings.  
  
They had kept in touch in the years, and Hank went into teaching. HE went to Bayville, so as to help Xavier keep on eye on his students.  
  
He knew what life was like to always hide what you were. He felt he had to help them out, even if they hadn't known it at the time.  
  
Then the formula stopped working and the creature within him broke free.  
  
Now he was trapped forever in this form.  
  
Now he had to hide from the world constantly. They only saw the monster not the man trapped inside. The world was a cruel place not only to children but also to adults.  
  
And this new body of his was a mess to keep up. He had to talk to Kurt about how to straighten body hair, and that was a conversation he had never thought he would have.  
  
He looked once more at his image. He could see the sadness in his eyes, and the despair on his face. He never wanted this, who would.  
  
But this was who he was, and he would live with it. If he showed how he felt about his mutation to the children, how would they react, some of them have a hard enough time as it was, and they needed to see that others could coop with it.  
  
Although he missed his old life, at least here he knew he was reaching students and helping to mold their lives into something great. That was the dream he had when he became a teacher.  
  
Now he still was but only slightly differently now. A genuine smile crossed his face, although slightly small.  
  
Maybe his life wasn't perfect anymore, but at least he was doing something worthwhile with it, and he could live with that. 


	11. Tabitha

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Tabitha  
  
Tabitha was sitting by the dresser mirror finishing her makeup. Amara her friend and roommate was finishing taking a shower in the bathroom they shared.  
  
She looked into her happy face, but then let it fall. She had the dream again last night. The dream of her father and that he was once again controlling her life. She remembered how her father was always a loser. He always thought he would score it big but never did.  
  
Then the day came when Tabitha's mutation kicked in. She had accidentally blown up a piece of furniture. She was so afraid of what her father would do to her. But he only smiled, and it wasn't a good kind of smile either.  
  
She had been forced to do so many things. She didn't want to get into it, or remember it either. She was so ashamed of it all. But she had nowhere else to go. Her mother was no help since she was drunk most of the time. She couldn't blame her either, not how her father had treated her. She could understand her mother's need to escape.  
  
But Taby did escape. Her father had been caught trying to sell of some of the stolen items and was sent to jail. Then it was just her and her mother, but her mother had spent too long drinking and couldn't stop. Tabitha was so alone most of the time.  
  
Then the Professor came to her. He told her what she was and that there was a place for her. She was so excited, to finally be somewhere where she would fit in, someplace that would finally be like a real home.  
  
At first she was happy, she finally had a good life, but she took it for granted. She was a little out of control, she knew that, mostly because she had no one to tell her what was right, and anything like that. Having a petty criminal for a father can do that to you.  
  
Then she really screwed up. It was after she put the moves on Kurt. He seemed so nice to her, and she had never had anyone else be like that. She knew now that nothing could have happened between them, he saw her as only a friend and she...she just wanted to have someone not to treat her like dirt for once.  
  
When her father had gotten out, he came for her. She could have ran back to the others, but she didn't. Her father had control over her again, and she hated every minute of it. Then they came for her.  
  
The others from the institute had come for her, to save her. She felt she hadn't deserved it for going back to her father.  
  
So instead of going back and taking the consequences she left. She ran right to the Brotherhood, only because it was the only place for her left. She had been so stupid, she said she left because the X-Men were too strict. But that was a lie, a cover.  
  
She really didn't go back because she couldn't face Xavier. He had given her a new life, he had trusted her, and he had faith in her. She had never had anyone be like that to her, and she couldn't face him. Not after she had let him down so much.  
  
It had taken her awhile to realize it, but after Mystique had destroyed the mansion, she had a talk with Xavier. She found something out from him then, you can make a mistake but you can be forgiven for it.  
  
She was so happy that he would take her back. Living with the Brotherhood had been pretty relaxed, but it didn't feel like home. So she was back here, and she would never leave again.  
  
Here she had real friends, people who looked after her and cared for her. She was even now dating a great guy who treated her like none of her other so-called boyfriends had. She was happy for the first time in her life.  
  
She was truly home. 


	12. Amara

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Amara  
  
Amara was finishing drying her hair and looking into the mirror with the light overhead.  
  
Strange, in her homeland of Nova Roma they were behind the rest of the world by a few centuries. She remembered how everything here was new, frightening and yet also wonderful to her.  
  
It was not like back home. She remembered her carefree days in the palace, made of stone and had no such things as electricity. It was strange to think of her life without such things now. Yet it had been a simple and pleasant life.  
  
She was the princess of her kingdom, she was constantly tutored and constantly prepared for the role of the royal family. She had almost any whim done. But she was also lonely, and the worse thing is she wasn't even aware of it.  
  
Then her mutation came. At first she had a high fever for days, the doctors and healers had no clue what was happening. Then one day she felt intense heat in her arms, they felt like the veins were on fire.  
  
She wasn't far off. She creamed out and then fire came from her arms. It burned several pieces of furniture and the fire was nearly out of control. Thankfully the palace servants got the small blaze undo control.  
  
She was so frightened from the ordeal. In fact everyone was, the servants tried to avoid her, and her parents were worried beyond believe. But then Xavier came. She remembered the day, the palace was in an uproar over the 'giant metallic bird', which she later learned was the X-Jet.  
  
No one had ever seen anything like it, and the people were awed and afraid of it. She remembered being summoned to the stateroom. She saw her parents and then she saw Xavier, along with Ororo and Scott and Jean.  
  
Her eyes were immediately drawn to his wheelchair. To her it seemed like magic that it moved for him. He seemed calm and wise to her, and then he introduced himself and the others. He talked about that she was a mutant like them, and that they all had powers.  
  
He offered her a place he ran that taught mutants to control her powers. She was afraid of leaving her home. Vary rarely did anyone leave the kingdom, and she was unsure. He had talked it over with her parents, and they agreed that she needed to control her powers.  
  
Her father was vary worried that if she didn't learn control she might hurt herself or others, her mother wanted what was best for her. So the next day after a sleepless night she decided to go with him.  
  
She smiled at how everything was new and different. She had never flown before and she never seen the cities she had when they flew over several of the major one to Bayville. She was in complete awe at the outside world.  
  
She remembered how Ororo had helped her out, she had told her how she herself had gone through the same thing. She was grateful for Ororo's help in understanding this new world.  
  
She had grown a lot here. She had learned things she never had, and the students here didn't treat her like royalty, at first it bothered her, but now she's glad they didn't. She truly had real friends for the first time. It wasn't until now she realized just how lonely her life had been.  
  
She had matured a little also. Her powers, which at one point were difficult to use she could now use them easily. She was more confident in herself, and was really enjoying her life here.  
  
She was happy and glad she chose to come here. She had learned much, had great friends, and was a better person for it. 


	13. Rahne

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Rahne  
  
Rahne was finishing up her hair while Jubilee her roommate was finishing blow draying in the bathroom. She looked in he mirror and thought how happy she was to be back here with all of her friends.  
  
Her life was so lonely back in Scotland. She remembered her life even before Moira MacTaggert adopted her. She was living under the care Reverend Craig. But he wasn't much of a guardian. He always seemed to have some kind of loathing for her.  
  
He never hit her, but the pain he caused her was from his actions and his words. He would always say how worthless she was and that she was good for nothing. Then not too long ago on after her twelfth birthday she changed.  
  
She found herself running from the Reverend because she accidentally broke a jar of some kind. He was so furious that she feared she was going to get locked up for it in the basement. So she ran. She remembered thinking how she needed to get away faster and faster.  
  
Before she knew it everything changed. The world seemed to grow larger and her senses increased and she found herself moving faster then every. And she felt freedom for the first time. It wasn't until later she had found out that she had in fact changed into a wolf.  
  
She stopped by a small lake and when she caught her reflection ion the moonlight in the pool to say she was freaked would be an understatement. The shock was so much it returned her to her human form.  
  
She slept outside that cold night. Trying to get some sleep. She was so frightened. She knew what had happened to her was real, but she was also frightened of what the Reverend would do to her.  
  
He would most likely say she was a witch or a demon or something. She was against a tree crying that night. When day broke she had to return home and face it. He was enraged at her actions.  
  
And for the first time he hit her. She was so angry with him, all her life he pushed her around and made her feel bad about herself, she felt a new anger flowing through her and suddenly she found herself leaping at the man.  
  
He was so terrified, she wondered why when she noticed her hands. They were fury and had long nail like claws on them. The Reverend took he moment of confusion and slipped away from her. She spat out words like demon, were- wolf, and child of Satan.  
  
So once again she ran. She ran straight into the woods and for a couple of days she roamed them. Soon people of the village sent out parties to look for her and to catch the were-wolf child.  
  
She was so frightened. Then when all hope was lost she ran into Moira. It was her that helped her to get away. She told her that she once worked with a man called Xavier that was studying a new type of humans, called mutants. It was with Moira that she learned what she was.  
  
She was adopted by her and since Rahne never knew her real mother, Moira was the mother she always wanted. She was sent to Xavier's a year later. That was the best year of her life, because she had friends just like her. It tore her heart out when Moira sent for her.  
  
She knew she feared for her safety after what had happened. But she was alone again. She still had Moira and then another girl named Theresa and her father came. So she had a friend. But then while on the main land, Reverend Craig saw her. And it began all over again.  
  
Since the villagers couldn't trespass on the island she was safe, but she couldn't leave either, she was basically a prisoner. She was so depressed all the time. Theresa and Moira did their best to cheer her up but it didn't last long. She missed her friends and being able to go around without worrying about a mob attacking her.  
  
She couldn't even go to school and had to be home taught. Later Moira had to admit defeat. There was only one way to help her daughter so she surprised Rahne one day when she told her she had talked to Xavier and she could go back there if she wanted to.  
  
She never regretted the decision. But she did miss her mother and her friend. They still e-mailed each other, but it wasn't the same. She hoped that maybe one day her father would let her come here. So then she could introduce all her friends here to her one and only friend from back home. 


	14. Jubilee

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Jubilee  
  
Jubilee was finishing drying her hair in the bathroom she and Rahne shared. She felt so much better to be back here with her friends. It just felt right to her. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror.  
  
She remembered how it all came to be. She remembered how one day she was rollerblading with one of her friends. They were just having fun, and she was enjoying herself. Then it happened.  
  
What she thought were sparks just started coming out. The yellow gloves she wore were ripped to shreds in a second and she thought her hands were literally on fire or something. She was panicking and ended up in an alleyway.  
  
She found a puddle of water and put her hands into it as fast ah she could. When she took them out, her hands were fine. She was so scared at what had happened. Her friend had come up to find her.  
  
Apparently when she took off she had lost her. When she found Jubilee she was crying from fear and she helped her home. She told her parents what had happened but they didn't believe her. They thought she was in shock and her mind made it up to cover something else that had happened.  
  
She wanted to believe them, and maybe for a time she did. But then while at home it happened again. This time her parents were there for the show. For days her family was worried about her. Then like some answer to a prayer Xavier came to them.  
  
He told them the whole story about mutants and how he had a school to help them. Her parents had no idea what to do with her and her afraid for her safety so they agreed. When she first got here she was a little disappointed about her powers.  
  
Everyone else had all these cool abilities and she could only make fireworks. It was kind of a letdown. But still she made friends here. Good friends that can only come from sharing something between them that no one else could.  
  
It was also were she met Bobby. At first she thought as him as just an immature jerk. But she learned that he was just an immature sweet guy. At least he was sweet when he wanted to be. He remembered how sometimes he would make these amazing ice sculptures just for her. Sometimes they were of her.  
  
That was when she started thinking of him as a sweet guy. She remembered their first kiss. It was after the group had gone home after a movie and he had walked her to her door. She already kind of liked him, but didn't know if he felt the same.  
  
So she took the first step and planted a light kiss on him. She pulled back quickly realizing what she just did blushing furiously. She began to apologies but he stopped her when he returned it.  
  
She remembered her heart seemed to flutter at it. After that they were just started to date officially. But them Mystique had to ruin everything when she destroyed the mansion. Soon after her parents sent for her to return home.  
  
She missed her friends and Bobby most of all. She cried herself to sleep for over a week. By then the world knew about mutants. It wasn't long until the students at school found out about her either.  
  
It all started when one of her friends were being picked on by a jock. She stepped up and when he asked her what she would do if he didn't she blasted a can sitting idly by. Looking back on it she didn't think that was the smartest thing.  
  
Soon everyone in school gave her hated looks and avoided her. Even some of her friends stopped seeing her. She felt so lonely. Soon she stayed away from her friends because others kept on harassing them.  
  
When she started to only leave the home to go to school her parents asked why she wasn't out with her friends. She told them she didn't have any anymore. Then went into what had happened.  
  
Her parents were concerned about her, and when she came home one day in tears and covered in what could only be described as pieces of garbage. That was the last straw with her parents.  
  
They knew she wasn't happy there or could have anything close to a normal life again. So even though they feared she might not be safe there, they knew she wasn't safe here. So for the first time in a long time she was happy again.  
  
She remembered at the airport how she ran into Rahne and the two girls immediately hugged each other and started to catch up. Then she got back here. The first person to open that door was Bobby.  
  
She had though about him for so long and to finally see him she launched herself into him hugging him close afraid she was dreaming this. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him until that moment.  
  
Looking at the mirror at her reflection she couldn't believe how her life had turned out so far. She was happy to be back here, because it was here that she felt at home. Where she felt safe and was where she fit in the most.  
  
She would never want to leave again like last time. She was here to stay this time around. 


	15. Bobby

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Bobby  
  
Bobby was combing his hair in the mirror. He was looking forward to tonight since he and Jubilee had a date planned. He was glad things in his life where turning out so well lately.  
  
He thought back to before he was a mutant. He was just a normal guy with a few good friends. It was a dull life compared to his life now. Then his mutation kicked in.  
  
At first it was simple stuff, he would hold a glass of water and it would freeze over, his hands would get really cold yet it didn't bother him. When his mother once took his temperature and found it at five degrees she ran him to the hospital. Luckily his temperature had returned to normal when they tried it and said that the electronic thermometer was broken.  
  
A few days later something happened that his parents couldn't explain. His whole body was transformed into ice. His parents had literally freaked at it. Luckily it went away but by then even Bobby was concerned what was happening to him.  
  
His parents were distant from him after that, they were unsure of what was going on with their son and they didn't know how to handle it. Then Xavier had showed up one day and he explained everything. He told him and his parents about mutants and everything.  
  
His parents had agreed to send him to Xavier's so that he could get the help he needed. To Bobby however they seemed a little to quickly to send him. They were nervous around him and even though they weren't what you call 'close' they were even more distant from him.  
  
He remembered how he went home for Christmas and even thought his parents put on a good face and tried to act like everything was normal Bobby felt like an outsider in his own home. He could see his parents were hesitant around him, but they tried not to show it.  
  
After when mutants were exposed they wanted him to stay there and Bobby wasn't sure whether it was because they felt he was safe there or that they didn't want to world to know that their son was a mutant.  
  
That was a pretty bad time in his life. He remembered how Jubilee a girl he had fallen for over the time here was sent away. He was so crushed after that, but he tried not to show it. But at times when he was alone in his room he just sat there in silence.  
  
Sometimes he would sit there looking at a picture he had of her with him and a few others but he only looked at her. Then not too long ago just when he thought he had gotten over the worst of missing her she had shown up.  
  
When he thought about it he couldn't help but smile. As soon as he had opened the door she had ran right into him. He couldn't believe it at first, that she was back in his life. They had spent the entire day together talking and joking.  
  
Then at night when everyone was moving off he had pulled her aside. He had told her that he was glad that she was back and how much he had missed her. She had felt the same and she had hugged him then. He was so glad she was back and that even through the time apart they still felt the same about each other.  
  
In fact over the last few weeks they seemed to be trying to make up for lost time. For the first time in a while he was glad to be here. Even though he still had things to workout with his parents, and people knew about his mutation. He still had his friends and the girl he cared about by his side through whatever was going to happen, and he was thankful for that. 


	16. Ray

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Ray  
  
Ray was putting the finishing touches on his hair with the gel he liked to use while making it stick up like that. He looked in the mirror and for the first time actually liked what he saw.  
  
For the longest time he never really liked to see his reflection before. Mainly due to the bruises. His father and mother weren't what you called 'caring' parents. His father was a drunk who like to hit people mainly him. His mother was just as bad with the drinking, but she never hit him.  
  
No she usually just said things like how he was the biggest mistake in her life, and how worthless he was. He wasn't sure what had hurt more the physical blows or the emotional ones.  
  
For years he suffered though it. Mainly the bruises were on the body but a few times he got the occasional black eye or bruised jaw. He just said he fell a lot or was in an accident whenever others asked about it. He had nowhere else to go, his parents were the only family he knew.  
  
He knew it also could have been worse, he heard what some other kids had gone through, but he still didn't enjoy his life. Then one day when his father in one of his drunken rages was about it hit him it happened.  
  
His electric powers manifested. He gave his father a good jolt that sent him back onto the floor. His mother had seen it and she had screamed and went to her husband. She kept yelling things at him like monster and freak. He knew if he stayed things would get only worse from then on in.  
  
He ran out of the house with only the clothes on his back. He traveled awhile on the streets, luckily he had already lived in Bayville. When a few homeless guys had started giving him trouble he had zapped them, and soon he was on the run from other homeless people now.  
  
He lost them when he went into the sewers and was lucky enough to have been found by the Morlocks. It took some getting used to, living in the sewers and all but he made it. The others were real nice to him and he felt safe for the first time in his life. But he missed the topside.  
  
In fact because he looked so normal he was able to go topside anytime and help out by scrounging up there and going to whatever store would let them in, considering they had been wearing clothing that was old and mostly unwashed most of the time.  
  
It was a hard life but one in which he didn't worry about being abused again. Then one day Logan had found him. Apparently Ray's powers had triggered Cerebro and Logan was sent out to find him.  
  
Logan said it took a few days but he eventually found Ray. He remembered meeting the burley Canadian in an ally, Ray had thought Logan was just one of those guys that really hates the homeless and liked to rough them up.  
  
Well Ray attacked first, which was his first and last mistake. Logan had taken him out easily enough, and when he saw those claws of his he was both terrified and amazed that there was someone different like him in the world.  
  
Logan had told him he wasn't there to fight but to help him. He told him about mutants and that there was a safe place for him to go. He hated to leave the Morlocks, they had taken him in, but he needed a better life then they could offer him. So without looking back he left with Logan.  
  
It was a decision he had never regretted, and he knew he never would. Here at the Institute he had friends, and the adults took care of him. Hell they were better parental figures then his real parents ever could be.  
  
His life had been a hard one, but now he had hope for the first time in his life that his life was going to be okay. He had a real home, friends, and a sense of family he never had before.  
  
This place was his true and only home. 


	17. Jamie

** WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR  
  
Jamie**  
  
Jamie was brushing his teeth while his clones cleaned up his room, made his bed and picked out what he would wear for the day. At least he thought they were the clones. Sure being able to copy yourself had its advantages but then there was a side effect no one thought about.  
  
It was a fear he had that always haunted him whenever he used his powers at times. He looked in the mirror as he slowly stopped brushing and began to wonder if he was the original. All his clones had the same memories, the same thoughts and feelings he had and when he absorbed them he absorbed all that hey knew too.  
  
Most of the memories were easily blended to his own since they were the same but it was hard at times to think what were his own memories and what were those of the clones. That led to the other major fear he had. What if the original Jamie had been absorbed by a clone long ago? What if he wasn't the real one, what if he was a clone and the real Jamie was in his room, or had been gone for so long no one had known it, not even him.  
  
He shook his head to clear his mind. Ever since that first day his powers kicked in he was worried that he would no long know who he was. How can you know who you are if you're no long an individual? If there were always other like you then what made you, you? What made him unique or special among many that were the same?  
  
When he slipped coming down the stairs one day and the first time he multiplied he had freaked, and so did the others. In fact they had an argument about who was the real Jamie. His parents had heard the noise and boy were they surprised. After a few minutes after everyone had calmed down the clones seemed to disappear.  
  
After that Jamie found whenever he hit something more of him would appear. His dad was a scientist and after getting over the shock of it tried to figure out what was causing it. He tried for weeks in vain to figure it out, and his mom had slowly gotten used to it.  
  
Then Professor Xavier had come calling one day. He explained everything to Jamie and his parents. His dad was relieved that there was a scientific explanation for it all. They talked and after much discussion they had to agree that Jamie needed to be in a place that could teach him how to control and use his gifts. His dad didn't have the first clue on mutation or any experience dealing with it, so he accepted Xavier's offer.  
  
Jamie had been both terrified to leave his home, but also couldn't wait to meet others like him. When it had happened it was during summer break so there was no school, which was lucky cause how would he explained what had happened to him?  
  
Now here he was and he was glad he had come. Things were different and he missed his old home and friends and his mom and dad especially. But he needed to be here, if there was a way to figure out how to control his powers he needed to know.  
  
And maybe he wouldn't have to have the nearly constant fear nagging him in the back of his mind questioning if he was the real Jamie. If he was a clone or that the original had been absorbed after the first time. Then he thought if that was true then would that happed to him? Would be absorbed one day like his clones?  
  
He took a drink of water and rinsed and then spit. He took one last look in the mirror. "I am the real Jamie, I always have been and always will be." He said to the reflection. The only 'clone' of himself he couldn't absorb. He said this little line when he was alone and the fears of who he really was surfaced.  
  
He pushed the fears down and away. He was the real one, he kept telling himself. He wouldn't allow himself to think otherwise. So he got out of the bathroom and went to change for breakfast pushing his fears to the back of his mind. 


End file.
